Heater core fix...?

I highly suspect that the heater core has gone bad in my truck. Though I have seen no evidence of leakage in the cab or engine compartment, I've smelled antifreeze and it kept getting worse. When I bypassed the heater core...no more smell.

My question is this...can I use one of several radiator stop-leak fixes that I've seen??? Would it fix a heater core leak to get me through the winter? And my biggest fear --> Could this lead to more problems with the whole cooling system/water pump overall? Should I just bite the bullet and swap out the heater core?

Sorry about all the questions, but I'm a bit leary of things that say it won't hurt the system...compatable with all antifreeze...cannot over-treat your system...but will stop all leaks. Sounds a bit "snake oil-ish" to me.

Check out the following thread for the possible cause of your problem. The bottom line is there's a chance that your coolant is worn and caused the leak in the heater core. There's a good explanation about how to test it.

So, I'd say change you heater core and be very strict with testing the coolant or having the system flushed and refilled with fresh coolant using distilled water instead of tap water every 2 years.

A leaking heater core puts you in a pretty tough situation if you live in a Northern state. You can't bypass it in the winter and Ford tech rate is nearly 6 hours for replacement of a $35.00 heater core.

It sounds to me like it is leaking. I haven't done a heater core on an F-150 but others have and it requires removal of the entire dash. This is why the labor is so high.

Stop leak may create some problems even if it seals the core enough to stop the leak....

I am having the same problem with my heater core . Or at least I thing it is the heater core . When I turn on the A/C I am getting an anti-freeze smell , and it reeks up the cab . It looks like the entire dash will need to come out .I will take lots of pics , in case some of you out there would like to see how to do it . Once again , Thank you Ford Motor Company for building a easy to work on truck , by the way , I loved the way you designed the spark plugs . But on the other hand I could have bought a chevy..... Yeah right..... I will suffer thru the mechanical challenge in order to do it yourself , but seriously folks , remember . Friends dont let freinds drive chevys .

Let us know when you've done you heater core swap. I'm dreading having to do mine. I just know something is going to be overly nasty to mess with knowing how Ford engineers love to make things easy on us do-it-yourselfers.

Good Idea on the picture taking during the fix. If nothing else, it will help you to get it back together the right way. I have a digital cam...I'll do the same thing and compare notes.

I think mine is going or about to go as I had that antifreeze smell this morning when I had the defroster on got out the flashlight and looked all around the heater core area didn't see anything leaking out and didn't see anything from under the dash but it sure smells like antifreeze I can't afford this right now since I'm unemployed seems like things like this alway happens at a bad time.

Sorry to hear about the umemployed part of your problem. It does give you the time to fix the truck problem tho. Save yourself some big $$$ and do it yourself if you're fairly mechanically inclined. Take a couple of days, and take your time, it's not that hard of a job...really, I've done it. No special tools and a new heater core will set you back about $35 (if you get it from Ford). If you want to take out the seats, then you gotta get a Torx wrench for a few bucks.

Don't let the pics that SVT2B sent frighten you from doing this...it's not that extensive. You don't have to take it apart to that extent. At least he now knows exactly what lies under his dashboard.

i have a heating core leak on my 2005 F150.problem<< i live in a remote area,only accessible by winter roads.but thats months away.now i have to fix this myself,i have a service manual.my only worry is damaging the panals and putting it back together....

You might want to consider a faster, less expensive way of getting heat inside your F-150. It takes 3-5 hours to install and cost around $200. It involves installing a Mojave after market heater. Visit www.rcsefi.org/F-150_Heater.html for for detailed instructions.